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Stratus™ Home Elevator

Stratus Home Elevator – “Home Elevators Made Affordable”

Home Elevators may have once been a luxury item but, more and more, they are becoming an affordable appliance that can be placed in any home. In many cases, home owners are uncertain about where to start and what level of complexity or cost is involved in obtaining an elevator for either their new home or as an addition to their current home. Let RAM help you, contact us today and we’ll help walk you through what’s involved step by step.

The Stratus™ is a new evolution is home elevators that RAM has recently introduced. This design is specifically tailored for people who are looking for an economical but still elegant elevator option for their home. The Stratus™ has been a completely new development at RAM over the last year and we are proud to say that this is the quietest, easiest to install, and best value elevating device we have ever been able to provide. Not sure if this is the right product for you? Check out our product comparison chart or fill in a quote request and we’ll get you sorted out and advise you on your best option…. even if that means recommending another solution that we can’t provide.

“Economical but Still Very Elegant”

How is the Stratus™ Home Elevator Different?

The Stratus Residential Elevator is not trying to fit one product to many applications….it is tailored and that’s how we keep the costs to the home owner low but still deliver a high performance, high quality, quiet and stylish elevator!

Developed specifically for homes that only need up to 14ft of travel – this means that RAM avoids building in complexity and costs that arise when you try to have one product trying to cover to many possible variations

It utilizes an adaptation of our ACME Screw Drive system that has been field proven as a reliable drive system for elevating devices over the last 20 years and literally thousands and thousands of devices

All electric design means no messy hydraulic fluids

All the sliding and moving interfaces utilize engineered polymers – this means that RAM has now created one of the quietest and smoothest home elevators on the market by avoiding metal to metal interfaces between the main moving parts.

QuietCab™ technology used in the carriage construction makes this elevator easy to assemble, quiet while on board, and more energy efficient

The installation time required for this product is 50% lower than our existing residential elevator product which translates in to lower costs to you the consumer and faster completion times once you are ready for installation

Stratus Home Elevator Features and Benefits

The Stratus™ has a number of unique features that provide significant value.

Innovative Manual Crank – most screw drive systems require that the back up manual crank be accessed directly from above. This presents some significant issues when an elevating device is placed in a shaft. In order to avoid this RAM has designed a special manual crank that can still be accessed from outside the shaft but in a very simple mechanism that does not add significant expense to the system and is very robust.

Engineered Polymers – by using advanced engineered polymers on guiding surfaces the Stratus™ is able to provide smooth operation and keep noise during operation to a minimum. These polymers are also designed for long term performance and durability.

The drive System – keeping with the philosophy of purely electrical-mechanical devices that avoid hydraulic fluids, RAM has adapted field proven drive systems to provide a very reliable and quiet drive system that also allows the elevator to raise and lower passengers from floor to floor in approximately 40 seconds…..just enough time to find the keys or double check your suitcase as you prepare to leave.

Although this drive system is adapted from our field proven Trus-T-Lift™ product, it also has a brand new element. Instead of the typical metal drive nuts that we utilize on our Trus-T-Lift™ system we have sourced a special high-density engineered polymer that has excellent bearing properties. These polymer materials are truly amazing and they have allowed RAM to significantly reduce the noise generated from the drive system as all the metal structures are isolated from each other by having polymer running surfaces. An additional benefit is the elimination of grease from the system…..that’s right, these polymers are self lubricating and don’t require the typical globs of grease that you would find in most metal to metal contact situations. You might think this means that the mechanism will wear out faster but, from our testing, this just doesn’t seem to be the case and we are confident that this combination will be perfect for your home.

QuietCab™ Technology – by utilizing foam cores and durable laminates in a “sandwich panel” arrangement RAM has been able to produce a light weight, noise insulating, elevator carriage that is also very rigid. The light weight also allows RAM to improve energy efficiency and maximize working load capacity.

Soft Start/Stop – When moving at a faster speed (20ft/min) coming to a stop instantly can make an elevator feel like an amusement park ride. In order to avoid this, RAM has designed the Stratus™ to include a soft start/stop ability. This is done through a combination of controls, software, and selection of the drive components.

Price – This elevator product has been specifically designed to be more economical than our Crystal Elevator product and in some cases it might even be less expensive to install two of the Stratus™ elevator product than a single larger travel elevator from one of our competitors. This can be particularly useful in renovation projects where you simply can’t find a location where a shaft can run the entire height of your home but you would still like to have full access.

Limited or No Pit Required – In line with our other elevator products, RAM has maintained a low profile platform floor with the Stratus™ Home Elevator product. This means that a very limited pit depth in new construction can be provided and in renovation projects you can even avoid a pit entirely if you put a small ramp in the threshold of the door.

Minimal pit depth also avoids issues of water build up and building code issues in certain areas that may require a special sump or other considerations that add costs, complexity, and add extra planning steps.

Machine Roomless (MRL) – all the equipment for the Stratus™ is contained in the shaft. This means you don’t have to find extra space for hydraulics, or other items in another part of you home. This may not sound like an important thing but in high density areas or homes that are looking at an elevator as part of a renovation this can be critical.

Custom carriage sizes are available at additional expense – inquire with RAM for possibilities

RAM Manufacturing Ltd. Elevators are designed to meet ASME A17.1/ CSA B44 safety standards when properly equipped. While RAM elevators meet national standards, it is imperative to check State/ Provincial and Local code requirements before installing to ensure compliance. All Stat/ Provincial and Local compliance is the responsibility of the purchaser.

Application Examples

3 Stop Bungalow:

2 Stop Elevators are very straight forward but RAM can also accommodate up to 4 landings with the Stratus™ product line

3 Stop Bungalows are a common home configuration where the garage is at grade level with stairs up to the main floor of a bungalow with a basement.

The Stratus™ fits this application very well.

2 Level with Basement:

In many 2 Level homes that are already built it is difficult to find a location where an elevator shaft can go all the way from the basement to the top level.

The Stratus is so economical that it can actually be similar price to install 2 elevators when compared to some higher end elevator products. This has the added benefit of making it easier to place shafts in optimal locations between levels.

Due to the price point this is also a great option for mutli-storey homes that may have trouble fitting an traditional elevator shaft that runs the complete height of the home….you can literally afford 2 Stratus™ Home Elevators in place of a single traditional Elevator.

Carriage Gates – RAM offers 4 different carriage gate options that include white, black, transparent acrylic, and a perforated aluminum that has a very modern look and feel

Light Curtain – For those clients that would prefer not to open and close a carriage gate on a regular basis RAM also offers an infrared light curtain that can ensure safety during movement by stopping the elevator if any object extends through the opening of the elevator door.

Custom Laminate Finishes – although we have standard options we can source hundreds of laminates from our suppliers if you would like to try and match up with a specific look for your home. Additional charges may apply depending on the selection.

Multi-Side Entry/Exit – many people think that going in and out on the same side of an elevator is the only option. This is just not so. RAM can configure the Stratus™ with up to 3 openings.

Stainless Steel Kick Plates – laminates are durable materials but the lower part of the elevator where feet and objects bump in to the walls on a regular basis can get damaged over time. Adding a set of stainless steel kick plates 18in high can provide improved long term durability in these areas and it can look pretty sharp as well.

Custom Handrails – sometimes people like a handrail to hold on to during the elevator travel. RAM regularly outfits our elevator products with hand rails in a few different metallic finishes. Please see our brochure for options.

Extended Warranty – RAM can offer extended warranties on parts. Our standard warranty is 1 year on parts but for additional charges we can offer extended warranties of 1, 2, 3, and 4 years.

Power Backup Systems – RAM’s Tower of Power (ToP) product can be easily added to the Stratus and you can see all the details of this robust and reliable system here.

Phone Systems – RAM can offer 2 way communication systems or a phone upon request.

Auto-Door Operators – are you concerned about being able to open and close doors? RAM can provide auto-door operators that are able to open, close and provide adjustable delays for those opening and closing cycles should you feel that is a benefit in your home.

The example drawing in the above link is intended to show what is involved in the construction of a shaft in order to allow the Stratus™ home elevator to be successfully installed. Shaft construction to RAM specifications is critical to a properly functioning and high quality finished product.

Additional configurations and drawings can be obtained from RAM.

Are you totally lost or confused? Let us help make it easy….just send us a note or request a quote. Even if you aren’t sure on every point we’ll help you sort out what your best option is….even if we have to refer you to another product that we don’t make.

"Our company was founded over 30 years ago with the goal of providing innovative products to help people with their mobility needs. We continue to work on these products and provide excellent customer service to our clients."